What is Dianetics – Part 2

WHAT IS DIANETICS?

PART TWO

by L. Ron Hubbard

(This is the second of two introductory articles briefly discussing the principles of Dianetics, for the benefit of those who have not read Mr. Hubbard’s books or articles and have no previous knowledge of the subject.—Ed.)

IN THE FIRST ARTICLE, I tried to make clear that the main concern of Dianetics is the reactive mind, as discovered by the new science, and that it has far greater compulsion upon us than our so-called analytical mind.

As previously indicated, the reactive mind records all impressions experienced during moments of unconsciousness or of pain sufficient to lower the perceptive abilities of the analytical mind to a point less than full consciousness. Therefore it is a condition that, before any of these data can affect the individual adversely, it must be activated or keyed-in by an occurrence in the life of the individual similar to the one originally recorded. From then on, the occurrence is capable of being reactivated by every such occurrence of restimulator.

We have said that the reactive mind records with the implication that the data are filed as obtained, without regard for system or original context. Similar results would be obtained were a tape recorder to be placed in operation upon a busy street corner. Auto horns, crashes, whistles and snatches of conversation would all be found on the tape in replay. No selective mechanism could be devised which would do more than play off that which was recorded.

This is the activity of the reactive mind—recording and replay in response to restimulation. Therefore when any recording in the reactive mind is caused to replay, the individual responds with a literal interpretation of the amount of that particular recording.

It will be appreciated, then, what startling, ludicrous and even disastrous results may be observed when this nonanalytical, strictly literal mind is restimulated. For example, a pregnant woman trips, falls heavily to the floor. Her unborn child is momentarily stunned (unconscious). In her terror and concern she cries out, “My baby! I have harmed him, given him a terrible setback! He will never be like other children!” Even though the child is born without mishaps or disfigurement, yet when in his childhood someone remarks in a manner intended to be complimentary, “He is not like other children,” the prenatal incident keys-in and thereafter he unconsciously seeks to be different, sulking in corners, refusing to join in with other children in their play and various normal activities.

This does happen, and can be and has been demonstrated!

Now, a true science not only recognizes the problems in its field, it offers a method for their solution. As a true science, Dianetics has evolved a method for recognizing and solving its peculiar problems. The method is known as Dianetic processing. The mode is reverie. The solution is the erasure of those recordings which, when restimulated, cause reactive behavior in the human being. The individual whose reactive mind bank no longer contains any unerased incident is known in Dianetic terminology as a Clear.

The state of reverie is induced by an astonishingly simple process. The preclear is asked to make himself comfortable and close his eyes. He is then asked to return to a past moment of pleasure. The moment of pleasure is recounted. His auditor endeavors by adroit questioning to elicit all possible details. This has the effect of acquainting the person with the practicability and process of going back or returning. It also sharpens his powers of recall and at the same time allays any doubts or misgivings he may experience.

DIANETIC AUDITING

He is next asked to go back or return to the first moment of pain or unconsciousness available at the time. What he contacts is called an engram, which is the scientific name for an impression upon the organism. Again, adroit questioning aids him to recall details. Several recountings of the incident serve to remove what may be called the charge on this incident, thus restoring to the analytical mind that vital energy heretofore required to endure or live with the disruptive content.

From here the preclear is led by the auditor into further, more deeply embedded incidents, the ultimate aim of which is to contact and erase all such aberrative incidents present in the bank. These data in the reactive mind are actually contacted with the aid of the auditor, whose assistance is required for more reasons than can be explained here.

It may be surprising, but the data are all there in the reactive mind, recorded and waiting to be contacted, erased and placed by the auditing process into standard or nonaberrative memory. The process thus releases vital energy needed for the better functioning of the analytical mind. It is obvious, then, that with every such release the analytical mind recovers more and more of its original, endowed potential for clear and rational thinking.

The term Clear is aptly chosen, for once Cleared, our former preclear is, forever after, able to make up his mind in a fraction of the time formerly required. And his decisions will be unbiased by emotion or past disruptive experience: in a word, rational.

peculiar: distinctive in nature or character from all others; unique or specific to a person or thing or category. Page 3.

snatches: small parts or bits of something; fragments. Page 2.

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